Suspension Device for Containers

ABSTRACT

The suspension device is formed: by a ring incorporating two opposite radial pins and being ascendingly seated and locked against an external peripheral rib of the body of the container; and by a U-shaped handle having end portions articulated in the radial pins and being angularly displaced between inoperative and operative positions. The ring incorporates a lock means to retain the handle in the inoperative position. Each end portion of the handle has a through opening, supporting a radial pin and presenting a width, in the direction transversal to the extension of the handle, sufficient to tightly support, in said direction, the radial pin, and a length, in the longitudinal direction of the handle, sufficient to support the radial pin, both with the handle in the inoperative position, and with the handle in angular displacement from the inoperative position to the operative position.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention refers to a suspension device to be applied toseveral containers such as, for example, metal sheet cans presenting aprismatic shape with cylindrical or polygonal bases and being providedwith a radially projecting external peripheral rib and which can bedefined by the double-seam provided between the upper and lateral wallsof the container, or by deforming said lateral wall in a region which isclose to an upper edge of the container.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There are known from the prior art the suspension devices for the typeof container mentioned above, said devices comprising a ring, to beapplied around the container body and axially and ascendingly seated andlocked against the external peripheral rib of the container, and atleast one generally U-shaped handle, having its ends affixed indiametrically opposite regions of the ring, so as to be displacedbetween an inoperative position, in which it occupies a positionsubstantially coplanar to the ring, and an operative position, which iselevated and generally orthogonal to the seating plane of the ring.

In the inoperative position, the handle is positioned laterally andexternally to a respective lateral extension of the container body,generally corresponding to half the perimeter. In the operativeposition, the handle is diametrically positioned over the container,with a vertical gap sufficient to allow the user's hand to be positionedunder the handle and, thus, to allow the suspension of the container,carrying or not carrying an upper lid.

In some known constructions, the handle has its opposite endsincorporated, in a single piece, to the ring, the junction region beingconstructed to allow, by means of its elastic deformation, the angularmovement of the handle between its inoperative and operative positions.Constructions of this type are disclosed in Brazilian documents PI9700128-7 and MU 8000935-2, the first of them presenting twodiametrically opposite handles.

Since the suspension devices in a single piece are generally molded inan elastically deformable plastic material, they present theinconvenience of requiring a larger mold, more complex and more costly,which is capable of producing, in a single piece, the ring and thehandle connected to each other by diametrically opposite bendingregions. The bending or elastic deformation regions are frequentlyexposed to shear forces sufficient to provoke rupture of the junctionsbetween the ring and the handle. This known construction in a singlepiece presents load limitations in the junction regions to be submittedto deformation upon the movement of the suspension rod, and prevents thering and the handle from being produced in different materials.

There are also known the suspension devices in which the ring and thehandle are constructed in separate pieces, with the handle ends beingarticulated to the ring, in opposite regions of the container body, sothat the handle can be moved between the inoperative and operativepositions. Examples of these previous constructions may be observed inpatent documents U.S. Pat. No. 3,093,257 and BR MU 74902442-6.

In these constructions using separate pieces, one of the parts of ringand handle carries a pair of articulating radial pins, to be fitted andsupported in respective housings provided in the other of said parts.

Although eliminating the inconveniences regarding the single piececonstructions and their strength limitations, the constructions with thehandle in a separate piece also present the inconveniences of notguaranteeing a reliable retention of the handle, in its inoperativeposition, substantially coplanar to the plane of the ring and externallyadjacent to an extension of the periphery of the latter, and notallowing mounting the ring to a container body circumferential regionaxially spaced from the upper edge region of said container body.

The lack of a means for retaining the handle in the inoperative positionallows said handle to be involuntarily and undesirably upwardly movedtowards its operative position, during the movement of the container inthe filling line, causing different problems which can paralyze saidfilling line.

These known solutions also do not present a retention means whichactuates on the handle, so as to maintain it stabilized in its elevatedoperative position. In these solutions, when the handle is released, bythe user, in the elevated operative position, it tends to movedescendingly, by gravity force, to a position lateral to the containerbody, which position can be diametrically opposite to that inoperativeposition in which the retention means can actuate on the handle,retaining it in this condition.

Other aspect to be considered in the construction of the presentsuspension devices refers to the feeding of said devices into a magazineof a machine for mounting them around the container bodies. In thiscondition, the devices must be stably stacked in the magazine, so as toallow each device to be individually released. The known solutions donot refer to this problem.

The impossibility of mounting the ring spaced from the upper edge of thecontainer prevents this construction in a single piece from beingmounted to containers in which the finishing of their upper edge is notsufficient to provide the external peripheral rib which retains thering. In these cases, the external peripheral rib is provided in thecontainer body, in a region thereof axially spaced from the upper edge,making the upper region of the container impair (or interfere in) theangular displacement path of the handle, preventing it from reaching itsoperative position or, when in said operative position, remaining verylittle spaced from the upper wall of the container, making the handlinguncomfortable or even impairing the adequate gripping of the handle bythe user's hand.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

As a function of the inconveniences of the known solutions provided in asingle piece or in separate pieces, the invention has, as one of itsobjects the provision of a suspension device in two pieces, with asimple and cost-effective construction which can be easily mounted tothe container, and which can have its handle reliably maintained in aninoperative position and also taken to an operative position, adequatelyspaced from the upper wall of the container, independently of the axialdistance between the external peripheral rib and the upper edge of thecontainer.

The inventions has also the object of providing a suspension device asmentioned above and which can have its handle reliably stabilized in theoperative position elevated over the container.

As already mentioned, the present device is applied to a containerhaving a body provided with a surrounding lateral wall, an upper edgeand an external peripheral rib, the device being formed: by a ringincorporating two opposite external radial pins and which is ascendinglyseated and locked against the external peripheral rib, around the body;and by a U-shaped handle, having a median portion and end portions, eacharticulated in one of the radial pins, said handle being angularlydisplaced, around the radial pins, between an inoperative position,lateral and external to the body, and an elevated operative position,disposed over the body.

According to the invention, the ring further incorporates, externally, alock means which actuates against an adjacent portion of the handle andwhich stabilizes the latter in an inoperative position, each end portionof the handle being provided with a through opening, through which issupported a respective radial pin, said through opening presenting awidth, in the direction transversal to the handle extension, sufficientto tightly support, in said direction, the radial pin, and a length, inthe longitudinal direction of the handle, sufficient to support theradial pin, both with the handle in the inoperative position andstabilized by the lock means and with the handle in an angulardisplacement from the inoperative position to the operative position.

The construction proposed herein allows obtaining a suspension devicewhich can have its two component parts constructed in differentmaterials and which can have its ring retained to the container body ina position spaced from the upper edge of the latter, without impairingthe correct angular movement of the handle between its inoperative andoperative positions.

The provision of the lock means allows the handle to be reliablyretained in its inoperative position, without the risk of beinginvoluntarily and undesirable displaced to its operative positionelevated above the container.

In a way of carrying out the invention, the lock means Ls constructed toactuate on the handle not only in the inoperative position of thelatter, but also in the elevated operative position of the handle,allowing the latter to be stabilized also in its elevated position.

Further according to another possible way of carrying out the invention,the ring has an upper edge and a lower edge which are configured toallow not only the correct ascending seating of the ring against theexternal peripheral rib of the container body, but also the stablestacking of the rings in a magazine of a machine for mounting asuspension device around a container body.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be described below, with reference to the encloseddrawings, given by way of example of possible embodiments of the presentsuspension device and in which:

FIG. 1 is a partial top plan view of a container deprived of the upperdouble seam and of its lid, but already carrying the device constructedaccording to a first embodiment for the lock means for the handle;

FIG. 1A is a partial front plan view of the handle used in theconstruction of FIG. 1, further illustrating, in dashed lines and in thethrough opening of each of the end portions of the handle, the crosssection and the relative positioning of each of the radial pins,corresponding to the inoperative and operative positions of the handle,when said handle must have its through openings displaced in relation tothe radial pins, when moved between its inoperative and operativepositions;

FIG. 2 is a partial diametrical sectional view of the container, takenaccording to line II-II in FIG. 1 and illustrating only the upperportion of the container in which is incorporated a respectivearticulating radial pin of the handle;

FIG. 3 is a partial diametrical sectional view of the container, takenaccording to line III-III in FIG. 1 and illustrating only the upperportion of the container in which is incorporated a lock means in theform of an external radial pin for retention of the handle;

FIGS. 4 and 5 are partial lateral views of the container of FIGS. 1, 2and 3, with the handle in the inoperative and operative positions,respectively;

FIG. 6 is a partial top plan view of a container deprived of the upperdouble seam and of its lid, but already carrying the device constructedaccording to a second embodiment of the lock means for the handle;

FIG. 7 is a partial diametrical sectional view of the container, takenaccording to line VII-VII in FIG. 6 and illustrating only the upperportion of the container in which is incorporated a lock means in theform of a radial projection for retaining the handle;

FIG. 8 is a partial top plan view of a container deprived of the upperdouble seam and of its lid, but already carrying the device constructedaccording to a third embodiment of the lock means for the handle;

FIG. 8A is a partial front plan view of the handle used in theconstruction of FIG. 8, further illustrating, in dashed lines and in thethrough opening of one of the end portions of the handle, the crosssection and the relative positioning of each one of the radial pins,corresponding to the inoperative and operative positions of the handlewhen it is moved between its inoperative and operative positions;

FIG. 8B is a perspective view of an end portion of the handle of FIGS. 8and 8A, when in the inoperative position and with the respective radialpin being medianly and transversally sectioned;

FIGS. 9 and 10 are partial lateral views of the container, illustratingthe device with the third embodiment of the lock means, with the handlebeing in its inoperative and operative positions, respectively;

FIG. 11 is a partial diametrical sectional view, similar to that ofFIGS. 2 and 7 and illustrating a container provided with an annularupper wall peripherally double seamed to its lateral wall and carrying asuspension device constructed according to any of the three embodimentsof the lock means for the handle; and

FIG. 12 is a partial diametrical sectional view of a stack of suspendingdevices to be fed into the magazine of a machine for mounting saiddevices around the container bodies.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As already mentioned and illustrated in the enclosed drawings, thepresent suspension device is applied to containers which comprise a body10 generally formed in metal sheet or in any other adequate laminarmaterial, presenting a prismatic shape with cylindrical or polygonalbases.

The body 10 includes a surrounding lateral wall 11, presenting only onecylindrical face or a plurality of faces with polygonal contour, beingsuperiorly limited by an upper edge 12 and, inferiorly, by a lower edge(not illustrated).

The surrounding lateral wall 11 incorporates an external peripheral rib14, which can be defined by deforming a circumferential region of thesurrounding lateral wall 11 of the body 10 of the container, axiallyspaced from the upper edge 12 of said body 10. This constructive variantof the container is that represented in FIGS. 1 to 10 of the encloseddrawings.

FIG. 11 illustrates a construction of a container provided with an upperwall 10 a which, in the present example, presents an annular shape todefine a seat for seating a lid (not illustrated). The upper wall 10 ais peripherally double seamed to the upper edge 12 of the surroundinglateral wall 11, said double seaming of the upper wall 10 a to thesurrounding lateral wall 11 defining the external peripheral rib 14 ofthe body 10.

The suspension device A considered in the present invention is of thetype formed by a ring 20, preferably continuous and formed in a plasticmaterial or any other material which allows obtaining an element, in theform of a belt, to be relatively tightly mounted around the body 10 ofthe container, in order to be ascendingly seated and locked against theperipheral rib 14 of the body 10 of the container, as illustrated inFIGS. 2 to 5 and 9 to 11.

As illustrated in FIGS. 2, 3, 7 and 9 to 12, the ring 20 comprises: anupper edge 20 a, which is cutout so as to define an inner annular step27, turned upwards and recessed in relation to said upper edge 20 a andto be ascendingly seated and locked against the peripheral rib 14 of thebody 10; and a lower edge 20 b, which is cutout so as to define an outerannular step 28, turned downwards and recessed in relation to said loweredge 20 b, which is seated on the inner annular step 27 of other ring 20disposed immediately below, in a stack of rings 20. This constructionguarantees an adequate stability for stacking the rings in a magazine,facilitating mounting the devices around the body of the containers.

The ring 20 incorporates, externally, in opposite regions and generallyin a single piece, two radial pins 21, each preferably provided with arespective enlarged head 22.

The suspension device A further comprises a generally U-shaped handle30, formed in any suitable material, such as plastic, having endportions 31 respectively articulated in the radial pins 21, and a medianportion 32, the handle being angularly displaced, around the axis commonto the two radial pins 21, between an inoperative position, in which itis positioned laterally and externally to a respective lateral extensionof the body 10 of the container and of the ring 20, generallycorresponding to half the perimeter of the container and of the ring,and an operative position, in which it is positioned over the container.The operational positions of the handle are illustrated in FIGS. 4, 5, 9and 10.

According to the invention, the ring 20 also incorporates, externally, alock means 40, which actuates against an adjacent portion of the handle30, to stabilize the latter in its inoperative position. The lock means40 prevents the handle 30 from being involuntarily displaced from itsinoperative position to its elevated operative position.

According to a first constructive embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 to5, preferably enlarged median portion 32 of the handle 30 is providedwith a through hole 32 a, the lock means 40 comprising a lock pin 25,radially and externally incorporated to the ring 20, provided with anenlarged head 25 a and to be fitted through the through hole 32 a of themedian portion 32, by elastic deformation of at least one of the partsdefined by the handle 30 and by the enlarged head 25 a of the lock pin25. This construction allows the handle 30 to be reliably locked in itsinoperative position during the handling, transport, filling and storageoperations of the container, preventing the involuntary elevation of thehandle from causing any inconvenience to the use of said suspensiondevice A.

According to a second constructive embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 6 to7, and using a handle 30 equal to that illustrated in FIG. 1A, butdeprived of the through hole 32 a in the median portion 32, the lockmeans 40 comprises a radial projection 26, which is superiorly andexternally incorporated to the ring 20, generally in a single piece andprovided with an end lower projection 26 a, preferably in the form of adescending flange, the median portion 32 of the handle 30, in theinoperative position of the latter, being fitted and retained under theradial projection 26, with all the benefits mentioned above for reliablylocking the handle 30 in the inoperative position.

Each end portion 31, preferably enlarged, of the handle 30, is providedwith a through opening 33, through which is supported a respectiveradial pin 21 of the ring 20. The through opening 33 presents a width,in the direction transversal to the extension of the handle 30,sufficient to tightly support, in said direction, the radial pin 21, anda length, in the longitudinal direction of the handle 30, sufficient tosupport the radial pin 21, both with the handle 30 in the inoperativeposition and stabilized by the lock means 40, and with the handle 30 inangular displacement from the inoperative position to the operativeposition.

In the first and second embodiments of the invention, in which the lockmeans 40 takes the form of the lock pin 25 or of the radial projection26, so as to actuate in the median portion 32 of the handle 30 when inthe inoperative position, the through opening 33 of each end portion 31of the handle 30 presents opposite lateral edges 33 a, which areparallel and rectilinear and against which are tightly seated oppositeregions of the generally circular cross section of the respective radialpin 21.

In these embodiments, the through opening 33 further presents an outerend edge 33 b, against which is seated the respective radial pin 21,when the handle 30 is in the operative position and suspending thecontainer, as illustrated in FIG. 5.

In order to operate in an adequate manner, each radial pin 21incorporates an enlarged head 22 with the contour larger than the widthof the through openings 33, each of the latter presenting an inner end,opposite to the outer end edge 33 b and opened to an enlarged hole 34with a contour dimensioned to allow the passage of the enlarged head 22of the radial pin 21, generally with a small elastic deformation of theenlarged head 22 or of the through opening 33.

According to a third embodiment of the invention, illustrated in FIGS. 8to 10, the through opening 33 of each end portion 31 of the handle 30presents opposite lateral edges 33 a, which are parallel andrectilinear, each radial pin 21 presenting a polygonal cross section,comprising: two first faces 21 a, opposite to each other, according tothe axis direction of the ring 20 and each being tightly seated on oneof the opposite lateral edges 33 a of the respective through opening 33,when the handle 30 is in the inoperative position. With thisconstruction, the first faces 21 a of each radial pin 21 are seatedagainst the opposite lateral edges of the through opening 33, definingthe lock means 40 which stabilizes the handle 30 in its inoperativeposition. The polygonal cross section of the radial pins 21 makes thehandle 30 be rotatively locked thereby, when in its inoperativeposition, as illustrated in FIG. 9.

Further according to said third embodiment of the invention, thepolygonal cross section of each radial pin 21 can also comprise twosecond faces 21 b, opposite to each other, according to a directionorthogonal to that of the axis of the ring 20 and each being tightlyseated on one of the opposite lateral edges 33 a of the respectivethrough opening 33, when the handle 30 is in the operative position, asillustrated in FIG. 10. In this construction, the second faces 21 b ofeach radial pin 21 define a lock means 40, capable of stabilizing thehandle 30 also in its operative position.

As already described in relation to the two first embodiments, thethrough opening 33, of each end portion 31 of the handle 30, alsopresents an outer end edge 33 b, against which is seated one of thefirst faces 21 a of the polygonal cross section of the respective radialpin 21, when the handle 30 is in the operative position and suspendingthe container, as illustrated in FIG. 10.

In the constructive form illustrated in FIGS. 8 to 10, the polygonalcross section of the radial pins 21 is square and the outer end edge 33b of the through openings 33 is rectilinear and orthogonal to theopposite lateral edges 33 a of the latter.

Also in said third embodiment of the invention, each radial pin 21incorporates an enlarged head 22 with a contour larger than the width ofthe through openings 33, each of the latter presenting an inner end,opposite to the outer end edge 33 b and opened to an enlarged hole 34with a contour dimensioned to allow the passage of the enlarged head 22of the radial pin 21, generally with the elastic deformation of at leastone of the parts involved in this mounting arrangement.

Although not illustrated in the enclosed drawings, when the externalperipheral rib 14 is defined close to the upper edge 12 of thecontainer, which generally occurs when the external peripheral rib 14 isdefined by double seaming the upper wall 10 a to the surrounding lateralwall 11 of the body 10, as illustrated in FIG. 11, the through opening33, in each end portion 31 of the handle 30, can have its length reducedto define a hole with its cross section corresponding to that of theradial pin 21, for tightly supporting the latter, since the handle 30can be angularly displaced between its inoperative and operativepositions, without interfering with the contour of the container, mainlywith the contour of the upper edge 12 of the latter.

However, when the external peripheral rib 14 is defined in a region ofthe surrounding lateral wall 11 of the body 10 axially spaced from theupper edge 12 of the body 10, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 10, thethrough opening 33, in each end portion 31 of the handle 30, takes theform of an oblong slot longitudinally disposed in the handle 30, so asto allow the latter to be displaced radially in relation to the axis ofthe two radial pins 21, in order to increase its angular displacementradius, avoiding any interference contact with the upper edge 12 of thebody 10, when said handle is moved between the inoperative and operativepositions.

In order to prevent an inadvertent displacement of the handle 30, inrelation to the radial pins 21, from positioning any of said pins 21aligned with the respective enlarged holes 34 of the end portions 31 ofthe handle 30, the opposite lateral edges 33 a, of each through opening33, can be provided, with respective projections 36 for limiting thefree displacement of the radial pins 21 towards the enlarged hole 34 ofthe respective through opening 33, as better illustrated in FIG. 8A.

While only three constructive embodiments for the present suspensiondevice have been illustrated herein, it should be understood that thecomponent parts of said suspension device can have different forms,without departing from the constructive concept defined in the claimswhich accompany the present specification.

1. A suspension device for containers, comprising a body having asurrounding lateral wall, an upper edge and an external peripheral rib,the device being formed: by a ring which incorporates a pair of externaland opposite radial pins and which is ascendingly seated and lockedagainst the external peripheral rib, around the body; and by a U-shapedhandle having a median portion and end portions respectively articulatedaround the radial pins, so as to be displaced, around the radial pins,between an inoperative position, lateral to the body, and an elevatedoperative position, disposed over the body, the device beingcharacterized in that the ring further incorporates a lock meansactuating against an adjacent portion of the handle and stabilizing thelatter in its inoperative position, each end portion of the handle beingprovided with a through opening through which is supported a respectiveradial pin, said through opening presenting a width, in the directiontransversal to the extension of the handle, sufficient to tightlysupport, in said direction, the radial pin, and a length, in thelongitudinal direction of the handle, sufficient to support the radialpin, both with the handle in the inoperative position and stabilized bythe lock means, and with the handle in angular displacement from theinoperative position to the operative position.
 2. The suspensiondevice, as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that the medianportion of the handle is provided with a through hole, the lock meanscomprising a lock pin, radially and externally incorporated to the ring,provided with an enlarged head and to be fitted through the through holeof the median portion, by elastic deformation of at least one of theparts defined by the handle, and by the enlarged head of the lock pin,locking the handle in its inoperative position.
 3. The suspensiondevice, as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that the lock meanscomprises a radial projection, superiorly and externally incorporated tothe ring and provided with an end lower projection, the median portionof the handle, in the inoperative position of the latter, being fittedand locked under the radial projection.
 4. The suspension device, as setforth in claim 1 characterized in that the through opening, of each endportion of the handle, presents opposite lateral edges, parallel andrectilinear, against which are tightly seated opposite regions of thecross section of the respective radial pin, said through opening alsopresenting an outer end edge, against which is seated the respectiveradial pin, when the handle is in the operative position and suspendingthe container.
 5. The suspension device, as set forth in claim 4,characterized in that each radial pin incorporates an enlarged head withthe contour larger than the width of the through openings, each of thelatter presenting an inner end opposite to the outer end edge and openedto an enlarged hole with a contour dimensioned to allow the passage ofthe enlarged head of the radial pin.
 6. The suspension device, as setforth in claim 1, characterized in that the through opening of each endportion of the handle presents opposite lateral edges, parallel andrectilinear, each radial pin presenting a polygonal cross section,comprising: two first faces, opposite to each other, according to theaxis direction of the ring and each being tightly seated on one of theopposite lateral edges of the respective through opening when the handleis in the inoperative position, the first faces of each radial pindefining the lock means which stabilizes the handle in its inoperativeposition.
 7. The suspension device, as set forth in claim 6,characterized in that the polygonal cross section of each radial pinalso comprises two second faces, opposite to each other, according to adirection orthogonal to that of the axis of the ring, and each beingtightly seated on one of the opposite lateral edges of the respectivethrough opening when the handle is in the operative position, the secondfaces of each radial pin defining the lock means which stabilizes thehandle in its operative position.
 8. The suspension device, as set forthin claim 6, characterized in that the through opening, of each endportion of the handle, also presents an outer end edge, against which isseated one of the first faces of the polygonal cross section of therespective radial pin, when the handle is in the operative position andsuspending the container.
 9. The suspension device, as set forth inclaim 8, characterized in that the polygonal cross section of the radialpins is square and that the outer end edge of the through openings isrectilinear and orthogonal to the opposite lateral edges.
 10. Thesuspension device, as set forth in claim 8, characterized in that eachradial pin incorporates an enlarged head with the contour larger thanthe width of the through openings, each of the latter presenting aninner end, opposite to the outer end edge and opened to an enlarged holewith a contour dimensioned to allow the passage of the enlarged head ofthe radial pin.
 11. The suspension device, as set forth in claim 5,characterized in that the opposite lateral edges, of each throughopening, are provided of respective projections so as to limit the freedisplacement of the radial pins towards the enlarged hole of therespective through opening.
 12. The suspension device, as set forth inclaim 1, characterized in that the ring comprises: an upper edge whichis cutout so as to define an inner annular step, turned upwards andrecessed in relation to said upper edge and to be ascendingly seated andlocked against the peripheral rib of the body; and a lower edge which iscutout so as to define an outer annular step, turned downwards andrecessed in relation to said lower edge, which is seated on the innerannular step of other ring disposed immediately below, in a stack ofrings.
 13. The suspension device, as set forth in claim 1, characterizedin that the external peripheral rib is defined by deforming acircumferential region of the body of the container, axially spaced fromthe upper edge of the body.
 14. The suspension device, as set forth inclaim 1, the body being provided with an upper wall peripherally doubleseamed to the upper edge of the surrounding lateral wall, the devicebeing characterized in that the external peripheral rib is defined bydouble seaming the upper wall to the surrounding lateral wall of saidbody.